The present invention relates to window regulator mechanisms and, more particularly, to a counterbalancing member for a window regulator mechanism.
Conventional window regulator mechanisms have a guide rail member with a slider member slidably mounted thereon. The slider member is attached to a lifter plate which is engaged with the window. A pair of wires extend in opposite vertical directions from the slider member and are wound around a driven drum. The drum is rotated by means of a crank handle or electric motor in order to raise and lower the window. Typically, a counterbalancing mechanism is used in order to facilitate upward movement of the window and control downward movement. A counterbalancing mechanism is especially effective when used in conjunction with a crank handle in order to reduce the amount of torque that one must apply to the handle in order to raise the window and to effectively maintain a controlled cranking motion of the handle as the window is lowered.
The typical counterbalancing mechanism utilizes a coil spring made of steel or other metal. The spring is usually fixed to an upper portion of the guide rail member and to either the lifter plate or slider member. These springs, however, can become weakened over time due to corrosion. Also, metallic springs are typically designed to be used in one particular regulator mechanism and oftentimes cannot be used if certain parameters, such as the distance between the uppermost and lowermost position of the slider member, are altered. In addition, it is always desirable to reduce the costs of mechanisms used in the automotive industry and, accordingly, there is a desire to find a relatively less expensive alternative to metal coil springs.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to obviate the problems associated with the metal coil springs conventionally used in counterbalancing mechanisms. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a relatively inexpensive alternative to metal coil springs. The present invention is a window regulator mechanism for generally vertically moving a window panel mounted within a motor vehicle door. The mechanism comprises an elongated guide rail member mounted within the vehicle door and extending longitudinally in a generally vertical direction.
A window moving structure engages the window panel. The window moving structure is slidably mounted on the guide rail member to allow the window panel to be moved generally vertically with respect to the vehicle door. A manually operated actuating mechanism is constructed and arranged to slidably move the window moving structure along the guide rail member so that the window panel is moved generally vertically with respect to the vehicle door.
An elongated, flexible counterbalancing member is constructed and arranged to apply a counterbalancing force to the window panel that opposes a force of gravity acting on the window panel. The counterbalancing member has a first end fixedly attached within the motor vehicle door, a second end fixedly attached to the window moving structure, and an intermediate portion extending over a guiding portion disposed above an uppermost position of the window moving structure so that portions of the counterbalancing member extend downwardly therefrom to the fixedly attached ends. The counterbalancing member is formed from a flexible elastomeric material and is elastically deformed to an initial elastically deformed state when the window moving structure is in its uppermost position. The counterbalancing member is configured to elastically deform beyond its initial elastically deformed state as the window panel moves downwardly with respect to the vehicle door against the counterbalancing force of the counterbalancing member to thereby oppose the force of gravity acting on the window panel and thereby provide a controlled, downward movement of the window panel. The counterbalancing member resiliently returns to its initial elastically deformed state as the window panel moves upwardly with respect to the vehicle door. The counterbalancing member applies the counterbalancing force to oppose the force of gravity acting on the window panel as the window panel moves upwardly to thereby facilitate upward movement of the window panel.
Other objects, features and characteristics of the present invention, as well as the method of operation and function of the related elements of the structure, and the combination of the parts and economics of manufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description and appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification.